ASHFIELD — Longtime Town Moderator Stewart “Buz” Eisenberg is facing competition to retain his seat this year, with Evan Barth throwing his hat in the ring for the role’s one-year term.

All other candidates are running unopposed in the May 4 town election, with polls open from 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Town Hall. Early voting began Monday and is being offered on April 24, 25 and 29, as well as on May 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. those days.

There are two positions for which there are no candidates on the ballot: a three-year term on the Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee and a three-year term on the Finance Committee.

Buz Eisenberg

Eisenberg, 74, has served as town moderator for more than 20 years. He is a litigation and civil rights attorney, and a Greenfield Community College professor emeritus who was the college’s head of governance for 17 years. He is now co-host of WHMP’s political talk show, “Talk the Talk.”

Eisenberg has also served on several town boards and committees, including the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals.

“The New England Town Meeting is the purest form of democracy,” he said. “The voters make the laws themselves and pass the budget themselves — not through representatives. … My job is to make sure that every voter finds they have the opportunity to be heard and the opportunity to hear their neighbor. My passion is to make sure everyone understands what they’re being asked to vote on. I love the institution of Town Meeting. So I do it with a serious sense of importance.”

Evan Barth

Barth, 34, is a first-year law student at Western New England University’s School of Law in Springfield. He will also be working this summer as an intern for state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Becket.

“I am running for town moderator because I want to be more involved in my community, and I think it’s important for younger people in town to be active in local politics,” Barth said. “I was nominated by another resident and I felt honored that they would think of me for this role. To recognize that honor, I want to turn my passion of legal advocacy into local community engagement.”

Barth said this is his first time running for a government office.

“Moderators play an important role in how Town Meetings are conducted and help residents advocate for themselves,” he remarked.

Other candidates, ballot question

The other candidates on the ballot are:

■Tree warden, one-year term — Thomas Poissant.

■Selectboard, three-year term — Steven Gougeon.

■Board of Assessors, three-year term — Mary Link.

■Board of Health, three-year term — Jaymie Zapata.

■Constable, three-year term — Warren Kirkpatrick.

■Finance Committee, two-year term — Laura Pitter.

■Park commissioner, three-year term — Gail Wiedmann.

■Sewer commissioner, three-year term — Nancy Hoff.

■Library trustee, five-year term — Sage Franetovich.

■Library trustee, two-year term — Kate McKenney.

■Planning Board, five-year term — Robert Cherdack.

Voters will also decide on a ballot question that asks if they support a Proposition 2½ tax levy-limit override for $225,000 to buy a new truck for the Highway Department.

The town has already set aside $100,000 for a truck, which costs about $325,000. However, delivery of the truck takes a year or two from the time it is ordered. Getting voters’ approval for the override would give the town authority to buy and order the truck now, rather than wait a few years until the full amount is in hand. If voters agree to the override, town officials will look at other funding sources over the next year, including free cash revenues, in an effort to reduce or eliminate the amount to be borrowed.